The present invention relates in general to an electronic module insertion and extraction lever that can be securely latched and locked in place to prevent opening from high pressure forces applied thereto.
When a device such as an electronic module is inserted into a rack, it may take a considerable insertion force to mate the electrical contacts on the module and complementary contacts in the rack. To prevent accidental pin destruction, such insertion forces have, in many prior art instances, been accomplished by a lever arm having a fulcrum on either the rack or the module, acting to apply force to the module and move it with respect to the rack. It is important that the module be inserted completely into position to make sure all electrical contacts are operable. Once the module is inserted, it is important that the module be securely locked in place to prevent unintentional partial or full removal of the module from the rack due to outside forces, such as earthquakes and so forth. Various mechanisms, such as screws, have been used to provide such a locking action. In such instances, separate tools are required to both lock and unlock the module subsequent to insertion and prior to extraction, respectively.
Many of these prior art lever arm insertion/extraction devices have required considerable operational space outside the dimensions of the module being inserted, whereby packing density of modules in a rack is adversely compromised.
It would be desirable to have an insertion/extraction device which includes a locking mechanism and may be used to provide insertion and extraction forces where needed while minimizing operational space required for these actions outside the physical dimensions of a door or module with which the handle is being used.
The foregoing disadvantages are overcome by the present electrical module insertion/extraction device which is mountable to a rack and adapted for holding at least one module and which includes pivoted lever having a power arm and a resistance insertion arm for applying insertion force to the module and a camming lever surface for applying an extraction force to the module and a locking mechanism for maintaining said the module in an inserted position.